In the wake of the events of 2020, there have been a number of albums released with hopeful, forward-looking vibes. That’s not the reality for everyone, however. That’s not to say there is no hope on Tungsten Beach’s newest EP The Dead City, but there’s certainly a dose of darkness to be found. Austin Fender, who handles vocals and all instruments except the drums, notes the songs on the record “are concerned with death, change, being mentally unwell, and finding the courage to accept oneself.”
Most of the music on The Dead City was already written when the pandemic hit, during which Fender was a delivery worker, but the band had to contend with a robbery and the loss of their instruments and recording equipment on top of everything. According to Fender “the events of the pandemic fundamentally changed the way the songs would be recorded. Everything became slower, more depressed, heavier and just different.”
And so now, lyrics rewritten, they have resurfaced. The album is characterized by sludgey, droning guitars that wend their way along slowed arpeggios. The doom and gloom of the seven minute first track eventually gives way to a chaotic, violent verse from Bronx rapper Todd The Surfer, before moving on to “Violence Is For Everybody (Non Binary)” where crashing slashing snare and cymbal work highlight the considerable talents of drummer Lukas Hirsch. Also included is a doom-driven cover of the Cure’s “The Drowning Man,” a track off Faith, one of that band’s darkest albums. “OK Rambo (PTSD)” is the final song on the EP, a chanting track that picks up the energy right at the end. Fender’s vocals are at their best here, and I think it’s a good direction for the band.
Hi! Hello! Here we are with some bite sized goodies and a taste of a some new things that we dug that came out in the last week(ish), quick fire responses to some great new music we think you should check out. This week Kate and Mike weighed in on some killer songs— give ’em a listen!
And though we can’t possibly cover all the music that is released each week (we wish!), we do get to as many songs as we can. As always, if you’re in a band or from a label, don’t hesitate to reach out and let us know about you! If we dig ya, you’ll get a nod in the column. Read on to find out what we dug the last week or so and check back every Friday for more:
Black Belt Eagle Scout– My Blood Runs Through This Land. Black Belt Eagle Scout is the project of Swinomish, Indian Tribal Community-based multi-instrumentalist Katherine Paul and follows the recent single, “Don’t Give Up.” This stunning track builds upon that first song and leads us further on Paul’s journey, the gauzy vocals the perfect counter point to the grit of the guitars. Both songs are part of the just announced The Land, The Water, The Sky (2/10/23 Saddle Creek) which she calls a “love letter to Indigenous strength and healing, and a story of hope,” adding that she created the album “to record and reflect upon my journey back to my homelands and the challenges and the happiness it brought.” [KH]
Chat Pile– Tenkiller. The heavy Oklahoma band and noted cinephiles have released the soundtrack to a new film Tenkiller which also features the band’s very own Raygun Busch. This follows their own album God’s Country and will see the band enter some experimental territory for them on which they note: “The music we made for Tenkiller is quite a bit different than what you may come to expect from us. We were given the freedom to really experiment and explore territories that we’ve never done before.” Adding “It’s not going to be for everyone, but we hope some of you connect with what we set out to do.” [KH]
Death Valley Girls– What Are The Odds. The groovy LA garage foursome have announced a brand new album Islands in the Sky (2/24/23 Suicide Squeeze) and released the infectious first single “What Are The Odds.” Singer/guitarist Bonnie Bloomgarden elaborated on the track saying: “When we wrote ‘I’m A Man Too’ we were trying to revisit No Doubt’s ‘I’m Just A Girl’ but through a new lens. ‘What Are The Odds’ is in the same way an investigation /revisitation of Madonna’s ‘Material Girl’ but with a DVG spin. We love to think about consciousness, and existence, and we very much believe in some type of reincarnation, but also that this experience isn’t linear, there isn’t a past and future, there’s something else going on! What is it? Is it a simulation, are we simulated girls??!” We are definitely intrigued to hear what else lies in store on the new album. Check out our coverage of their recent TV Eye show. [KH]
Fake Names– Delete Myself. Fake Names is the super group of supergroups with the members coming together after stints in legendary groups like The Refused, Bad Religion, Minor Threat, International Noise Conspiracy, Embrace, Girls Against Boys, and Fugazi (and that’s not even all of them) which is one hell of a pedigree! Their newest release “Delete Myself,” is a speedy little post-punk tune that shows off the band’s great power pop sensibilities, with guitarist Brian Baker saying “In general, Dennis [Lyxzén] writes about revolution, and Michael [Hampton] and I write pop songs. I’m amazed at how it works, but somehow it strikes the right balance of salty and sweet.”
This song is the first single from their just announced second album, Expendables, due out 3/3/23 (Epitaph). The band will embark on a short tour in April to support the album, making a stop at TV Eye on 4/14. [MB]
Fucked Up– Found. The second single from One Day, the upcoming album by the epic hardcore greats, this one confronts the negative legacy of colonization and the poison of modern day gentrification head on. Read more about it here. [KH]
Guts Club– The Gun Collector. Bring on the fuckin doom! That’s exactly what the doom gaze trio has done yet again, with another 10 minute opus full of the relentlessness that makes this band so great. This second single from their upcoming album Cliffs/Walls builds directly from the previously released title track and leads us through another winding maze of anguish and emotion with walls of swelling feedback pummeling you from all sides. Indeed, the work feels like a cohesive statement and not just a group of songs lumped together. The band elaborated on their Bandcamp saying the album was “recorded live in (mostly) one take. The music is very intuitive and we hoped a live recording would better reflect that primitive intensity rather than multi-tracked studio magic.”
Via a press release the band additionally said the song is “a reflection on grief and how we navigate a world overflowing with extreme loss and devastation. Intensely crushing, yet strangely mediative, the track is a refreshing take on the doom genre” and I’m inclined to agree. There’s a nuance and grace here that is not always present in many doom songs, but Guts Club effortlessly pulls it off while remaining true to the heavy, dirge-like roots of the genre. [KH]
H. Hawkline– Milk For Flowers. The project of Welsh song writer Huw Evans (and frequent Aldous Harding/Cate LeBon collaborator) has announced a new album, Milk For Flowers, and released the bouncy piano driven title track. The album will see full release on 3/10/23 via Heavenly and Hawkline will tour in 2023 to support of the album but only in the UK and Europe for now. Having caught his Webster Hall show with Aldous Harding a few months back, I’m definitely keen to see him play in the States again. (He is also a graphic designer and gifted me a beautiful hand printed linocut at the show, see more of his visual art on his website and albums.) [KH]
The Linda Lindas– Groovy Xmas. The LA teen punks released a new track just in time for the holidays. It’s a feel-good sugarplum soaked in harmony and spiked with sleigh bells (and cowbell). The teens deliver a power chord punch of classic Christmas references that will warm your belly like the cinnamon hot toddy they aren’t even old enough yet to drink. [MB]
Maraschino– Hi Desire. Catchy as hell dance pop that owes a debt to the Material Girl (who I unabashedly love), the airy vocals and infectious beat recall the new wave bops of the 1980s. This one will make you want to groove no matter where you are—the club or your morning commute—and before you know it, your head will be bobbing and your feet moving. [KH]
Megadose– Hey 911. The song begins and we are immediately greeted with the line “This country’s lost its mind, what do you say to that?” and sadly, I say you can’t argue with that. In this sweet power pop number the song and the band “offers a winking retrospective on the ironies born of experiencing global trauma, a stunted political uprising, and too much time by yourself. The song paints a picture of the spasmodic confusion, triumph, and disarray spanning not only Seattle’s Summer 2020, but the fragility and absurdity of life itself.” Their press release says “for fans of Jonathan Richman and K Records” and I’d say that feels pretty damn spot on. This is the second single from the groups upcoming album, Heating Up, which is due out 1/23/23. [KH]
R. Ring– Still Life. This is the first single from War Poems/We Rested, the new album just announced by the group—which features Kelley Deal (The Breeders) and Mike Montgomery (Ampline)—and if there is a Deal twin involved with a project, you can pretty much sign me right up for being already on board. But even without one of the members playing in one of my all time favorite bands, this song is still something I’d love, a poppy alt rock commentary on addiction with a cool collage stop motion video reflecting the theme also making pointed commentary not just on how we abuse/use substances to cope with discontent, but social media too.
It’s nice to see Kelley Deal take the lead vocal role here as she mostly does backing vocals in The Breeders (and other projects she contributes to) and she elaborated on the song saying “It’s possible, sometimes, through substance abuse or self delusion, to exist in a realm of altered reality, where you imagine your life to be a delicious bowl of fresh fruit. When you finally wipe the haze off the mirror, you see through more sobered eyes that the fruit is rotting and the bowl is full of worms.” War Poems/We Rested will release in full on 1/27/23 via Don Giovanni. [KH]
Ron Gallo– Foreground Music. With this fuzzed out garage pop song Gallo begs the question “How can you be alive in 2022 and not be anxious?” I really wish I knew the answer to that, but at least I can have a good sound track to my existential dread from this very astute and clever songwriter. Though sugar coated, Gallo doesn’t mince words as he questions many of the poisons that haunt us (and make us so damn anxiety ridden) on a daily basis including overconsumption.
This is the first single and title track from his just announced new album, which promises to take us on a journey as Gallo “screams at the developers turning neighborhoods into unremarkable AirBnB advertisements, corporate overlords deciding how much music costs, and extremists hellbent on bringing forth an apocalypse of racial and civil destruction.” The album will released in full on 3/3/23 via Kill Rock Stars and a tour in support of the album will follow, hitting Brooklyn on 4/6 at Baby’s All Right. I am predicting the future here, but I’m confident in saying just based on this first track alone that this album will find its way onto many best of lists for 2023, including mine. [KH]
Sarchasm– Good News. Open your eyes and it’s Y2K all over again. The long running Bay Area band makes music that harkens back to those halcyon days and certainly stirs up plenty of memories. Think where Weston would intersect Pinhead Gunpowder, the just-serious-enough-but-too-serious pop punk song, “Good News,” is catchy tune to make you think about the scary state of the world while you catch a few waves at the beach. This is the second single from their upcoming final album, Conditional Love (12/2 Asian Man). They have a few more shows left and then this band will be but a fond memory, much like our salad days of the early aughts. [MB]
shame– Fingers of Steel. The latest track by the UK based post punk quintet has a loose groove that is tied tightly together by some really cool melody-work. At times overtly rhapsodic, other times vaguely Dalrympian in its delivery. The angular guitar work serves to subdue the song’s percussive intensity. It’s obvious shame makes music for them, and everyone else just happens to be on board.
This is the first single from their just announced album, Food for Worms, out 2/24/23 (Dead Oceans). The band will embark on a lengthy tour to support the album, first crisscrossing the UK and Europe before coming to the States in May, hitting Brooklyn on 5/14/23 at Warsaw. [MB]
TVOD– Goldfish. The third in a trio of new singles from TVOD, we love everything the rowdy BK collective has to offer. Read more about the new song here [MB]
Weird Nightmare– So Far Gone. I’m a huge fan of Alex Edkins’ main project, Metz, and love every ounce of noise they make. Weird Nightmare is pretty far removed from that sonically and I’ve really enjoyed getting to know the other side of his songwriting via this new project because wow does he have some power pop chops too. This one is catchy gem of a song with a fuzzy bass line high up in the mix (which I personally really love), sweet harmonies and infectious, layered guitar work for an all around slice of power pop perfection. This one is a stand alone single which follows his excellent self titled debut album released earlier this year. [KH]
The Brooklyn noise-punk outfit, who self describe as “sarcasm dopegaze,” are back with a succinct and powerful new release on Fire Talk Records. The band is well known for not holding back musically or lyrically, and in that regard, this EP is no different. Our earlier coverage included a spotlight on their rapid fire noisy political ripper, “Pigs, Shit & Trash,” the first single from the EP. Lani Combier-Kapel (drums, vocals) explains that it came from the struggle to make sense of the disconnect between the government heads and the people struggling at the intersection of social justice and a global pandemic:
“I was in NYC, where I was born and raised, and where my family still lives. As I watched transplants sneak away to their isolated farms or country houses, I was trapped in a crowded 4 bedroom apartment. Surrounded by death, I was confused, terrified for my aging parents’ health, and looking for any semblance of hope that things could turn around. Around that same time, uprisings and protests for Black Lives Matter were happening every day in NYC – I had good friends who were beaten by police officers and jailed for standing up for what was right. It became blatantly obvious that the government simply wasn’t working for the people and had no clue how to help. These government officials just feel so untouchable – like we can meme them and make jokes about them but at the end of the day, they get to go home to their wives and million dollar mansions and live in their own bubble, not be bothered by the troubles of the world that they created.
When the electoral debates came around, I thought it was very fitting that a fly landed on top of Mike Pence’s head, right when he was talking some bullshit about race in America. I loved that moment, that this fly just randomly shat and vomited on this guy’s head (as flies are known to do to everything they land on). I started imagining this fly as some kind of antihero, claiming one tiny bit of revenge on national TV – a heroic villain attracted to pigs, shit, and trash.”
The second single, “Two Ways,” is a smoldering tune that burns and bubbles, driving just below the surface until the bottom completely drops out at the end. Sarah Fantry (guitar, vocals) explains the song is “about people who want to appear virtuous in their public facing personality, but live a contradictory shadow life in which they do whatever they please, no matter how harmful their actions are to others.” Lyrically and sonically, it almost feels disjointed in its split-personality. Fantry explains, the song’s voice is “stratified into two layers—the outward-facing kind, modern man, looking to learn from the necessarily rapid changes in society—and the sinister, selfish sadist beneath who believes in his own entitlement to act with impunity.”
Ocelli’s two main tracks are tied together by the ambient drone link track of “(everything has eyes)” reminding us that all our actions make an impact and have consequences. Weeping Icon is a band that pays attention to the world in which they exist, and they aren’t the only ones watching.
Where is TVOD and who the fuck is in the band right now!? Those are some valid questions, for which we here at Full Time Aesthetic definitely do not intend to provide the answers. Fresh off their US-Canadian tour, and hot on the heels of their last two singles, “Alien” and “Mantis,” the Brooklyn collective, with its oft rotating cast of characters, has been hard at work, and we support the group’s nonstop hustle. A recent homecoming party at Alphaville means the band is back (for now) making their rounds at all their usual Brooklyn haunts, and they’ve just released their newest track “Goldfish.” Along with the song, they’ve also dropped its hellishly demented animated music video directed by Scott Palazzo into our laps and it feels like its own personal nightmare just for us.
“Goldfish” immediately cuts the legs out from underneath you with a thick punchy bassline that carries you through from start to finish. Lead vocalist and songwriter, Tyler Wright opens the track with the ominous line “Ted killed my goldfish. Fed her too many pills. And that’s shit’s hard to swallow. He always knew it would kill.” From there we spiral downward into the underworld as the hairy guitars and gain-soaked keys grab us by our ankles and drag us deep into the pits and bowel of the beast.
Wright admits that there may have been some misdirected blame in the lyrics, but the damage was already done, and the song was just too good a catch at that point to throw back, amiright? He explains, “our guitar player Jason and I were messing around before band practice one day and started hammering out these very primal bass & drum beats. I couldn’t help but use my goldfish ‘Phoebe’ who had passed the day before as the writing inspiration for this song. I felt guilty about her biting the big one under my watch so I decided to write a song in which my friend Ted is actually is the one that murders her. RIP Phoebe. I blame Ted.”
TVOD has built their reputation on consistently delivering a safe and fun outlet for the underdogs to let loose, and give them a party to call their own. Building upon that very foundation however, there’s an uneasy tension and sense of urgency throughout these newer tracks that get me really excited for what the gang might be cooking up next. Listen to the new song below.
Ian McCuenWestward, to Nowhere (art by Christina Riccio)
Ian McCuen, a self-described “purveyor of sorrow,” has created a haunting musical odyssey through the broken American landscape in their most recent full-length release, Westward, to Nowhere. In addition to composing, arranging, and writing the lyrics for all eighteen of the album’s songs, McCuen also plays a multitude of different instruments here, including acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano, theatre organ, electric piano, banjo, mandolin, six-string electric bass, percussion, drums, ebow, harmonica, and accordion. They also provide beautiful lead and backing vocals that are often hushed but urgent, like pained melodic whispers. Westward, to Nowhere traverses both time and space (taking us across the so-called heartland with songs named for Independence, MO to Deadwood, SD). This ambitious double album combines “elements of history, folklore, current events, and personal experience,” and weaves a “loose narrative that follows a drifter on a futile journey across the country.”
The excursion begins with the opening song, “Westward,” which starts with some lovely finger-picking on banjo, creating a mood that is nostalgic, reminiscent of old Western movies. McCuen’s vocals here also sound as if they’re singing to us through time, from the past: “I hear the Iron Horse whistling, I see the locomotive’s steam as it departs right on time…’Westward ho! Westward ho!’ And I know that I must go.”
There are many standout tracks along the way in Westward, to Nowhere. “Lonesome Homesteader” offers an organ introduction that falls away into the finger-picked acoustic guitar again and gentle vocals that build to octave layers on the refrain: “And what if in the end I find that I have fucked up my life? Is it really worth it to even try??” Near the song’s end, we hear a beautiful descending cello line from Lissa Reed. Percussion kicks in as the song goes on, too, a steady beat like footsteps on the road or the bounce of a horse and buggy. “The Letter” has a similar intimate desperation in its lyrics, as the singer writes letters to everyone whom they have ever loved (and everyone is gone now). Dear Sister, Dear Old Companion, Dear Old Lover, and finally, Dear Everyone I Have Ever Known. Both “Lonesome Homesteader” and “The Letter” also have evocative videos made by 542 Films.
Westward, to Nowhere jumps out of the past on certain songs to comment on the shame, violence, and structural racism of the United States, historically and right now. “The Plea” washes over you with a twinkling mandolin in the beginning, and McCuen’s vocals repeat the plea to the people of the United States (and beyond): “This is a plea for us all: stand up and join the fight! Let’s rally behind everyone who’s been robbed of their most obvious rights…You sit on the fence, while the world still turns. Can’t you hear the chanting? ‘No justice, no peace!’” Near the end of the album, “American Retreat” has a funereal feel, almost dirge-like as the instrumentation builds from a single electric piano to layers of guitar and train-like noises. The lyrics address the United States itself, and all the false mythology surrounding the American West: “Left for dead on your battlefields. Fooled by lofty speak. Of what an infinite frontier would provide. But all to be found instead. Was a trail of genocide.”
Ian McCuen (photo by Christina Riccio)
Ultimately, the trip ends at a place called Nowhere where wanderers seek forgiveness. We hear the train whistle once more, receding into the distance, the finger-picking on the acoustic guitar slowing down. The traveler has reached his end. McCuen whisper-sings at the last: “I guess this is it, my final resting place. No tomb, no tears, no flowers, just regret for my days. Silently I whisper to no one: I tried, please forgive me, I’m sorry, goodbye.”
Westward, to Nowhere immerses you in atmospheric melancholy with a mix of nostalgia and outrage at an American dream that was failed from the start. Ian McCuen’s work here is outstanding, and they’ve also assembled an impressive group of supporting musicians including Lissa Reed on cello, Sally Schaefer on violin, and Tom Stocklosa on trombone, with mastering by Alex Wieloszynski. If you’re ready to take the beautiful but heartbreaking journey of Westward, to Nowhere, it’s available on Bandcamp and all major streaming platforms now.
Hi! Hello! Here we are with some bite sized goodies and a taste of a some new things that we dug that came out in the last week(ish), quick fire responses to some great new music we think you should check out. This week Chantal, Kate and Mike weighed in on some killer songs— give ’em a listen!
And though we can’t possibly cover all the music that is released each week (we wish!), we do get to as many songs as we can. As always, if you’re in a band or from a label, don’t hesitate to reach out and let us know about you! If we dig ya, you’ll get a nod in the column. Read on to find out what we dug the last week or so and check back every Friday for more:
Beauty Pill– Fugue State Companion. The fastest way to snare me with a song is some good old fashioned Empire Strikes Back references, you can sign me right up for that! And when it comes packaged with the distinct DC post hardcore sound of a band like Beauty Pill, even better. This song is part of Blue Period which is a compilation album that will feature recordings from 2003-2005 including The Unsustainable Lifestyle LP and You Are Right To Be Afraid EP along with previously unreleased demo track and outtakes, “Fugue State Companion” being one of them. The deluxe album is releases on 1/2/23 via Ernest Jenning Record Co. and will mark the first time the songs are available on vinyl. Pre-orders for the double LP are up now. [KH]
Bartees Strange– Wretched (keiyaA remix). The Chicago native, keiyaA, delivers a fresh take on Bartees Stranges’ hit “Wretched” from this year’s Farm to Table. Driven in part by a new glitchy backbeat and electric pianos, the critically acclaimed artist restructures the arrangement infusing the modern jazz and R&B styles in which she flourishes. The soulful reimagined vocal interplay is a true highlight that really pushes the track into new territory for both artists. [MB]
Dizzy– Barking Dog. The follow up to their 2021 EP, Separate Places, the Canadian alt pop band is back with a beautiful new offering, an emotional exploration of past pain that the band says is “mostly about how we’re all just products of our youth, doomed in various ways none of us asked for.” The emotions of the song hit hard and are perfectly emphasized by the fuzzed out guitars and sweeping choruses/backing vocals. [KH]
Fixtures– Jimmy Needs the Money. The first single off an upcoming LP (due 2023) is a laid back alternative rock song that builds on the choruses and includes a loping melodic guitar solo that I wanted to whistle along to (if I could actually whistle). The accompanying video uses public domain footage to make a visual collage that includes, among other things, vintage subway scenes. [CW]
Gina Birch feat. Thurston Moore– Wish I Was You. Gina Birch wears many hats—filmmaker, painter, former member of The Raincoats—and her newest single is proof she’s still got it (if you ever dared question that). This fun, punchy track features Thurston Moore on “thrash chords and noise action” (in his words) and deals with the age-old desire to be “cool” and acceptance of one’s self: “so many brilliant people I wished I could be / time has carried me forward, now I’m happy with me” with a triumphant conclusion: “I used to wish I was you and now you wish you were me.” Birch’s solo album I Play My Bass Loud will be out next February on Third Man Records. [CW]
Hekla– Ghost. This song was actually released in August, as part of their more space junk EP, but the Brooklyn based punk and rollers have just released a fun new video to go with the song. Soaked with 60s garage vibes, this is a fun romp of a song, with the accompanying video seeing the band hamming it up on the picturesque banks of the Newtown Creek aka the site of one of the largest oil spills in North American history (true story). You know, perfectly New York! [KH]
King Like Mom– Tantrum. An epic 6 minute fit of guitars, soaring vocals and a flurry of drums, “Tantrum,” is quite the breakout debut for the Staten Island quartet. Half the band consists of the former rhythm section of Pussywolf (RIP), twins Alex and Amanda Gonzalez, who really bring the bass end hammer due in part to literal lifetime of knowing how to play off one another. Julia Simoniello and Rose Couchon round out the group, trading loud/quiet duties on guitar and vocals that somehow manage to toggle between Deftones and The Cranberries in ways I couldn’t have previously imagined. [MB]
Madi Diaz, S.G. Goodman, Joy Oladokun– Be Careful (Patty Griffin cover). This song is a cover of the 2002 song by Patty Griffen which is a lovely acoustic contemplation. For this version, released this week just ahead of the Midterm elections, it doesn’t stray far from the musical roots of the original but Diaz adds a powerful new verse to bring the song into a more contemporary place: “For all the parents who are losing sleep // For all the babies that will come to be // For all the reasons that are ours to know // It’s my choice and I am not alone // For every man who’s standing next to me // and queer and trans and non-binary // For everybody with their own body // I will meet you all out on the streets // So be careful how you bend me // Be careful where you send me // Careful how you end me // Be careful with me.”
Proceeds from downloads of the single go to benefit Abortion Within Reach, who aims to “make abortion accessible, compassionate and affirming for all identities, and safe for everyone who needs it, free of politically motivated barriers and without cost as a barrier to care. [KH]
Manchester Orchestra– No Rule. Is there any song this band does that isn’t gorgeous and makes me feel every last feel there is to feel? I’d say the answer is no and “No Rule” is yet another resplendent offering that came is a stand alone single that came out of the sessions for The Million Masks of God with the band saying “We are very proud to release our new song ‘No Rule’ into the world. Written and worked on during the Million Masks sessions, this brave soul took a little longer to cook than the rest. We hope you enjoy. All Love. M.O.” It serves as a lovely footnote to the album and showcases everything there is to love about this group. [KH]
Narrow Head– Moments of Clarity. Narrow Head have really locked into the post-grunge sound, with driving guitars piled over propulsive drums. The video for “Moments of Clarity,” the title track off their just announced third LP (2/10/23 Run For Cover), plays with throwback DIY aesthetics as well, as singer Jacob Duarte is pursued by a woman who might be a memory (or a ghost?) while he drives to a pet store and a mall. The band will be on tour next February to promote the album, and as FTA experienced, they put on a heck of a show. Check out our article here. [CW]
Panic Shack– It’s Good to be back (Metronomy cover). The more I hear from this Cardiff based band, the more I’m in love (check out my thoughts on their most recent single “Meal Deal”). While I’m waiting for their debut full length, I’ll take whatever I can get and this delightful collab/cover with the electronic group, Metronomy, takes the song from its electro pop roots to the snarky punk place they so cooly inhabit.
The song is part of the deluxe edition of Metronomy’s album, Small World, which will feature reworks and remixes of songs from the album from a host of different collaborators. In the way only a punk band can, they’ve “remixed” it by actually doing a full on cover and their own arrangement of it, replacing the bouncy and airy electronics for riffs galore, a hyper driving rhythm section and shouty gang vocals. In other words, made a ripper of it and I absolutely love it. [KH]
Pile– Loops. Brand new music from the long running band, it’s a dark and driving tune that frontman Rick Maguire says is “about the confusion I’ve experienced in the place where those two roads meet, and reflecting on whether what I’m creating is for personal growth or for personal gain has ended up leading to more questions than answers.” The tension is palpable in the track but leaves one feeling hopeful. This is the lead single from their just announced 8th album All Fiction which is due out 2/17/23 via Exploding In Sound. Check out our recent coverage of their show at Market Hotel. [KH]
She’s In Parties– Cherish. I was in a short-lived Bauhaus cover band with the same name but I’m glad to change it if we ever revive, because She’s In Parties are absolutely lovely. “Cherish” is a super-solid dreampop track, with layered vocals and echoing guitars floating over an upbeat rhythm section. Their discography so far includes only a few singles, but we’ll be looking forward to more music from this UK band. [CW]
Sunfruits– Believe It All. The latest from the Melbourne, Aus based group which we premiered earlier this week. Check out more on this catchy new jam here. [CW]
